Embedded paint can lid removal device

ABSTRACT

This invention is a device built under the rim of a paint can (paint pail, etc.) to allow the paint can&#39;s (paint pail, etc.) lid to be removed without requiring an extra utility. There have been many complaints by individuals that use paint cans (paint pails, etc.) that find themselves in situations where they can not open the can because they don&#39;t have a paint can opener, or something to pry the lid open. This device was invented with the intent to remedy this problem.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Non-applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Non-applicable

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Non-applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Non-applicable

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a device built into the paint can to allow a way of removing the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) lid when a screwdriver or other tool isn't available to help. The device uses segment pieces to pop open the lid out of the seal of a paint can's (paint pail, etc.) rim by pulling or pushing on a holder piece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1. is a transparent 3D view of the side of the embedded paint can lid removal device;

FIG. 2. is a frontal view of the inner chamber before the wedges push the segment pieces upwards;

FIG. 3. is a sideward view of the inner chamber before the wedge push the segment pieces upwards;

FIG. 4. is a frontal view of the inner chamber after the wedge push the segment pieces upwards;

FIG. 5. is a sideward view of the inner chamber after the wedge push the segment pieces upwards.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1 is a 3d side view of the embedded paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid removal device showing the holder piece 1, the inner ring 2, the wedge piece 3, the spring 4, the segment piece with T-shaped top 5, the elastic material (rubber, etc.) covering 6, the inner chamber 7, and hole with L-shaped indents 8 surrounding the segment piece with T-shaped top 5. Referring to FIG. 2 is frontal view of the inner chamber with holder piece 1 going through the side of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and the side of the inner chamber via a slit that is just big enough to allow the turning of the inner ring 2 with wedge piece 3 from FIG. 1 which in turn will push the T-shaped segment piece 5 upwards stretching the elastic material (rubber, etc.) covering 6 from FIG. 1, pushing the paint can lid away from connected paint can (paint pail, etc.), and then said inner ring 2, will be pulled back into place by the spring 4 in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3 is a side view of the embedded paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid removal device showing the wedge piece 3 in position with the segment piece with T-shaped top 5 before it is moved by the turning of the inner ring 2 from the grabbing of the holder piece 1 that runs through the slit through the side wall of the inner chamber and on the side of the paint can. Referring to FIG. 3 also shows the position of the spring 4 underneath the inner ring 2 before the inner ring 2 is turned by the holder piece 1 as well as showing the position the inner ring 2 will be in after the spring 4 pulls the inner ring 2 back after it being turned by the pulling of holder piece 1 through the slit on the side wall of the inner chamber and on the side of the paint can. Referring to FIG. 4 is a frontal view of the embedded paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid removal device with the segment piece with T-shaped top 5 pushing up against the elastic material (rubber, etc.) covering 6, which pushes the paint lid upwards and out of the hold of the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) rim. Referring to FIG. 4 also shows you another side view of the hole with L-shaped indents 8. Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 2 also shows you how the inner chamber 7 is shaped inside the paint can, where one of it's walls is connected with the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and the other wall and the bottom is protecting the inside of the inner chamber from the paint, and also how inner ring 2 is connected to the sides of the inner chamber 7 through slits on it's walls. Referring to FIG. 5 is a side view of the embedded paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid removal device showing the position of the wedge piece 3 pushing the segment piece with T-shaped top 5 past the rim of the top of the inner chamber (the paint can rim) and pushing the elastic material (rubber, etc.) covering 6 upwards as well as the paint lid being pushed upwards and out of the hold of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) rim's grip after the inner ring 2 has been turned by the holder piece through the slit on the side wall of the inner chamber and on the side of the paint can. Referring to FIG. 5 also shows which position the spring 4 is after the inner ring 2 is turned by the holder piece 1 as well showing the side views of the hole with L-shaped indents 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a device that will be built into a paint can, (pail, etc.), that will be used to pry open the lid when other tools aren't available. This will be accomplished by segment pieces, placed in holes in the rim with L-shaped indents going around the holes, and will be pushed upwards from the lower middle part of the interior of the rim. The segment piece will be pushed from a wedge piece underneath those pieces connected to an inner ring which will have a holder piece connected to it's side which will pass through to a slit on the side of the paint can. When the holder piece is pulled, the holder piece and all connected parts will cause the segment pieces to go upwards causing the lid to be removed from the container, but not push the segment piece past the L-shaped indent, keeping the segment piece going up and down linearly. The L-shaped indent will also prevent the outer segment piece from falling into the device by catching the extensions coming out of the top of the T-shaped segment piece which will be aligned with the L-shaped indents. There will also be an elastic material like rubber that will be molded into the top chamber to prevent paint from spilling into the cracks between the segment piece and the L-shaped indents. This elastic material will also push the segment piece back down after being pushed upwards by the wedges form the inner ring and the spring connected between the bottom of the inner ring and the top of the floor of the inner chamber will pull the inner ring and holder piece back into it's original position. 

1-7. (canceled)
 8. An embedded paint can lid removal device, comprising: a) an inner chamber with holes at the top with greased L-shaped indentations which goes around the inside top part of the holes to prevent the segment pieces from falling through, which will also have 2 greased (for sliding purposes) slits circumference the middle of the whole inner side walls, which will hold the inner ring, and which will have a separate slits that will go through both the paint can (paint pail, etc.) wall, and the side wall of the inner chamber facing the wall of the paint can (paint pail, etc.), for the extension for the holder piece to go through; b) a spring being of the necessary size and shape for the inner ring to be pushed forward the necessary distance, then back; c) t-shaped segment pieces with triangle shaped wedge at the bottom; d) an inner ring with wedge shaped parts on top and an extension part for a holder piece connected to the side of the ring which will extend outside of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) through a slit on the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and a slit on the inner chamber wall facing the wall of the paint can (paint pail, etc.); e) a holder piece with grip piece connected via a hinge to the extension part on the inner ring running from the side of the inner ring through a slit on the outside of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and the inner wall, facing the paint can (paint pail, etc.) wall of the inner chamber; f) an elastic material covering over the top of the device but possessing enough elasticity for ease of use.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein said inner chamber will be a circular rectangle shaped ring which will house all other said parts. The inner chamber will be connected to the paint can (paint pail, etc.), via welding, molding, fused, etc., in the top inner corner between where the rim of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) would normally be (since it is being replaced by the top of the inner chamber) and the inner wall of the paint can (paint pail, etc.). There will be slits on the side walls of the inner chamber for the inner ring to be placed into, and these slits will be greased to allow the inner ring to slide back and forth when pulled by the connected holder piece. There will also be a slit on both the side of the inner wall of the inner chamber facing the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and on the side of the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) side for the holder piece to go through. The top of the inner chamber, which will have a curved indent going downward into the middle of the top, will house the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) lid and will act as the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) rim. It will also have holes with greased L-shape indents coming down from the top of the hole to the bottom of the top of the inner chamber, and the indents will go around the sides of the hole surrounding the segment piece's T-shaped extensions.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein said segment pieces will have extensions in the shape of a T and have a triangle shape at the bottom. The T-shaped extension piece will fill the hole with L-shaped indents and the top of the piece will be lined up with lower flat part of the circular indent of the top of the chamber, in other words the paint can (paint pail, etc.) rim. The L-shaped indents will keep the segment piece going up and down linear since the wedge on the inner ring will only push the segment piece half way up the L-shaped indent and out of the hole, keeping the top of the T-shape extension in contact with the L-shaped indent, but the distance of the segment piece, that is being pushed up, must be enough to push the paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid out of the grip of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) rim's curved indent. The L-shaped indent's inner walls, which make contact with the T-shaped extension, will be greased to allow the sliding of the segment piece up and down.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein said inner ring will be connect inside 2 greased slits, one slit being in the side wall of the inner chamber which will be connected to the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and the other slit on the inside of the inner wall of the inner chamber, which both slits will circumference the middle of each wall. On the side of the inner ring that is facing the outside of the paint can (paint pail, etc.), there will be an extension for a holder piece that will extend out of the inner ring through a slit in the inner chamber's wall facing the outside of the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and through a slit on the side of the paint can (paint pail, etc.), and be connected via a hinge to a grip piece. The top of the inner ring will have triangle shaped wedges, circumference the middle of the ring which will make contact with the wedges on the bottom of the segment pieces when the inner ring is turned by the holder piece connected to it.
 12. The device of claim 1, wherein said spring will be inside the space between the bottom of the inner ring and the floor of the inner chamber. The spring will be connected on one end to the middle of the bottom of the inner ring and on the other end to the middle of the bottom of the inner chamber and be connected on both ends via welding, molding, fused, etc. This will allow the inner ring to jump back into place and be held in place by the extension to the holder piece making contact with one of the ends of the slit on the side of both the inner chamber and the paint can (paint pail, etc.).
 13. The device of claim 1, wherein said holder piece will consist of a hinge and a grip piece. The grip piece and hinge will be curved to be aligned with the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) side. The holder piece will be connected to the inner ring by an extension from the inner ring going through slits on both the side of the inner wall of the inner chamber facing the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and on the side of the paint can (paint pail, etc.), and be connected via a hinge to a grip piece. When the holder piece is pulled, this will cause the inner ring to move, causing the wedges on the inner ring to make contact with the segment piece from the top of the chamber. As the inner ring moves the wedge piece forward, it will push the outer segment piece upwards causing the outer segment piece to push the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) lid out of the curved indent on the top of the inner chamber, opening up the paint can (pail, etc.). The slit on the side of both the paint can (paint pail, etc.) and the inner chamber wall will only be big enough for the holder piece to pull the inner ring forward enough of a distance to make sure the T-shaped extensions doesn't go past the L-shaped indents but will allow the wedges and the segment pieces to make enough contact to allow the segment pieces to push out the paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid from the paint can (paint pail, etc.) rim's grip. The segment piece will then be pulled back down by the elastic piece covering the top of the circular indent of the inner chamber and the inner ring will be pulled back by the said spring in claim
 1. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said elastic material (example rubber) will be bonded into the middle or over the top of the curved rim of the top of the inner chamber of the device (which acts as the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) rim for holding the paint can (paint pail, etc.) lid, covering the segment pieces to protect against paint getting into the cracks between the segment pieces and the L-shaped indents. The bonding must allow enough space between the elastic material and the segment piece's top, to allow the piece to go up it's full length required to push out the paint can's (paint pail, etc.) lid. 